‘Ugly, bothersome’ utility poles will mar beauty of $34M business school, YSU leader laments

By Harold Gwin

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State University is spending about $34 million to put up a building between Rayen Avenue and Wood Street, but the modern-design structure will be surrounded on three sides by some old technology — wooden utility poles.

Some think it would give the entire area around the new Williamson College of Business Administration building a cleaner, more modern look if the utility lines on those poles were put underground and the poles removed.

“It’s really something that’s bothersome to us,” said John Hyden, YSU’s executive director of facilities.

The university and the city are making some big investments in that area, “But we’re stuck with those ugly poles,” he said. “This is probably the right time to take care of it.”

Hyden said the university has addressed the issue with Ohio Edison, suggesting that the utility company pick up the tab for putting its utility lines along Rayen Avenue and Wood Street in the business school area underground.

Ohio Edison isn’t interested, at least not in doing the work at its own expense.

The general practice is that, if a customer wants a line relocated or placed underground, the customer pays for the work, said Mark Durbin, Ohio Edison spokesman.

“Everyone talks about aesthetics, but there’s a major expense involved,” Durbin said.